#and also aaa is the default not the exception

[mistyycowoa]

I remember seeing a lot of people saying things like "oh people assume you're cishet before you come out because it's most common/seen as the default..." But I disagree. Cishet isn't the default in any way, even if common. My take of the day:

Aroace agender is the human default.

Everyone starts off as a baby. And babies are inherently aaa because. Obviously. Babies do not see bodies as anything (other than mother's milk which is food), it's not sexual. Babies do not want romance, only platonic love is enough. Babies don't understand gender stereotypes, and therefore everything is agender. It's just "thing", not "masculine thing" or "feminine thing".

As they grow up, kids of certain ages start understanding and putting weight on gender, giving them a gender identity/ideal. Their bodies look the same as their peers (purely body shape, ignoring hair and clothing etc), so they are the same, therefore there is no "two(or more) genders", and it's just "child".

Most children don't start feeling any kind of romantic attraction until a certain age (if ever). Sexual attraction comes much later too, when teens "discover themselves"(aka coming out as not ace) (if they're not ace).

All this to say, cishet is not default. Kis shouldn't have to "come out" as not cishet, because they shouldn't be assumed to be cishet in the first place. Adults shouldn't push their views onto kids who have yet to even understand these concepts, much less worry about it yet.

[naomistares]

hihihi! recently found your art and im OBSESSED w the style!! the texture is so cool!! if you dont mind, how do you do it? like brushes, layer effects etc. anyway i hope u have a good day!! (:

aaa this might be a long answer!! also hi! and thank you!! 😭🫶 i'll try to detail my entire process!

with sketching and lines, i use the nikko rull brush just sized down and with like 70ish brush opacity! and then i use default oil brush to shade! as well as the nikko rull also to color and such, theyre the only 2 brushes i practically use (except maybe for the airbrush but i use it more for the effects (will circle back to that))

and then i do very simple shading, not thinking about lighting or anything, and once im done shading everything i merge it all down together and i clip on an OVERLAY layer on top, it's my bff... and i usually use a bright red or orange and use a soft airbrush to lightly glaze over the drawing in certain areas to make it more vibrant (i tend to base with very desaturated colors)

and then i merge everything together and clip on a MULTIPLY layer on top and usually use a color like a darker greyish blue or whatever depending on the environment and lighting that i've decided in my head, just to make the whole drawing darker, and then i use the eraser to erase out shapes in which i want there to be some light, and sometimes i use a hard brush like the nikko rull and sometimes i use a soft airbrush to softly remove some shadow and darkness or blend in harsh shapes. and for good measures i also mess around on another overlay layer.

and then i just add noise and mess with the color balance scales a little!

[dreamcatcher-roulette]

Can I admit to something? Is this a K-pop safe space? It's not drama it's just deeply personally embarrassing.

So there’s two halves to this. The relevance of both might become apparent some time before I finish rambling and get to the point but bear with me. I'm desperately trying to justify my situation.

Firstly. I'm a girl group fan. Dreamcatcher are easily and effortlessly in a tier of their own but I do enjoy and even keep up some other girl groups rather attentively. The obvious follow up question here is well, what about boy groups? Here is a collection of excuses I have previously attempted to offer up in my own defence:

Musically, I like bass and I like high notes. This kind of lends itself to prefering female vocalists, but, as I may have mentioned before, I'm not actually into K-pop that much for the music (Dreamcatcher just happen to also make the music that fits my taste perfectly on top of having the best aesthetics).

Boy group fashion kind of blows. I mean, I have high and somewhat unrealistic expectations for any stage outfits due to the standard Dreamcatcher set, but Jesus Christ the baggy pants epidemic amongst boy groups is something else. Mens fashion can be fun. I think it frequently isn't for the stages I have seen though.

The boy group hair meta also kinda blows. I'm perfectly capable of realising when something just isn't catered to me (and may well have cultural context that's flying directly over my head) and the bowl cut adjacent curtains look that's almost a default hairstyle is one of those things. Just cannot get behind it. Sorry to all the enjoyers.

And now, even though there is truth in all of those excuses, here's the actual reason why I'm making such broad, sweeping statements about an extremely diverse subgroup of artists:

K-pop is an industry that loves to feed on parasocial relationships, and I am gay in the direction that makes me immune to girlfriend fanservice but really fucking succeptible to the right boyfriend fanservice. So long as I keep pretending every boy group sucks I am safe. If I get sucked into one of them it will probably just straight up ruin my life.

Okay. Secondly. Many years ago when I was still in high school my neighbour got really into K-pop. She was a big fan of EXO, and then, this new up and coming group called BTS (anyone heard of them?) She tried, unsuccessfully, to get me to share her passion multiple times. Of the videos she showed me, these are the ones that made an impact:

LEDApple - Time is up

SHINee - Ring Ding Dong

BIGBANG - Fantastic Baby

I liked them enough to watch them on my own a few times, but that was the end of it, until in 2020 I got recommended Scream on YouTube and the rest is history. However, one of the things that amused me getting into K-pop myself was realising 2/3 of those songs reached somewhat legendary status in the time since. Even being a GG fan news from the "other side" certainly still flies across the river, sometimes with recognition, e.g. G-Dragon's semi recent drug "scandal". I remember seeing those articles and thinking huh. Wild. That's what he looks like now. It is at this point I would like you to imagine a bullet narrowly missing my head as I'm looking the other way.

On to the present. I watched MAMA 2024 live nearly 2 months ago. I like the end of year shows. My only complaint is they should invite Dreamcatcher lmao (thank you AAA 2023 that performance still lives rent free in my head) but overall, great fun. Now I must confess, for the aforementioned reasons, I always* mute boy group performances when watching shows live. Happy to critique the fashion, don't want the songs stuck in my head, which is an inevitable outcome of listening to music whether you like it or not (and I'm well aware some of it is probably good).

*Technically I have one exception in either direction, but both are irrelevant to the point.

As you may be aware, G-Dragon performed at MAMA. Everyone seemed pretty hyped. Normally this would have been a mute for me but well, momentous occasion isn't it. The king of K-pop is back. Might as well get the full experience. And it was good! I'm not exactly a fan but I did have enough nostalgia for fantastic baby to appreciate the bigbang stage, and watching all the idols freak out was so adorable. I want you to imagine three more bullets narrowly missing me while I'm looking at the aespa reaction shot.

Like, you're probably aware of where this is heading, right? But it wasn't even the stage. AFTER the stage they still had to give him the award they made up for him being there. And man. Okay. All the actual real life crushes I've had on men that I knew started out having very little if anything to do with their appearance. I'm ace so maybe that changes it but also I don't think that's exclusively it because I'm not the only person I've ever heard say that people you are attracted to become more attractive in some kind of self enforcing feedback loop. Thats why the K-pop content vortex is so brutal because as soon as you're in the variety content rabbit hole suddenly you don't just have some guy who is pretty you have some guy who is funny or thoughtful or he likes all of your favourite movies and you start feeling like you know him, even though you don't. I know that the force of that connection if you let it happen easily overpowers the baggy clothes and the shitty haircut and every other flimsy excuse but given only a muted performance stream or occasional acceptance speech there is not enough room for that personality to break through. I can watch Dreamcatcher accept an award and I see them because I've watched hundreds of hours of vlogs at this point but groups I don't know are just that. Groups I don't know.

Yeah. So about that music visionary of the year.

Holy shit man. I've never seen anyone get up and accept an award with such fucking weird and awkward vibes. I think I was gone from the moment he reached the podium. I said to the friend I was watching the stream with hey. I think maybe I should turn this one off actually. And she said no :) Because she is evil. You know how sometimes a single event can recontextualise over a decade of vaguely knowing about someone's existence? Head in my hands. Of all people. G-Dragon is really fucking attractive. Which is like. In twenty twenty four? Really? Profoundly humiliating discovery. What am I even supposed to do with this one? It's literally G-Dragon. I know there are discourse minefields the likes of which I cannot even fathom wading into this and what am I anyway? A fan? I don't think so. I saw one singular awards show and went holy shit why is G-Dragon the hottest K-pop man by actually one hundred thousand miles and then I just had to go to work again the next morning and be normal. And the thing is that I was not even remotely normal because I then decided to dye my hair bright red the following week which to be fair I have always wanted to do but well it's not UNrelated to the current crisis is it. I'm just. Existing. Really thought maybe it would wear off by now but WELL. It has not.

[canmom]

more baldur gate

I think I've gathered most of the party now. time to venture forth

we did find another warlock it turned out. they've got a spin on him as a kind of demon slaying folk hero, which is cute. what's weirder to me is when characters will just casually speak of game mechanical stuff like being a 'warlock'. like, oh yeah i made a pact with an eldritch entity beyond space and comprehension, but it's no biggie, you know? there's one in every neighbourhood. though that is something of the problem of Forgotten Realms, it's such a kitchen-sink setting that it's very hard to figure out any sort of coherent narrative thrust for any of it.

my character seems to be settling by default into the kind of default 'pragmatic, generally prosocial crpg hero' model. most of the other dialogue options just seem needlessly standoffish. they do have certain party members disapprove when you take plot hooks, but honestly that all feels a bit silly to take as a prodding to play a more selfish character because like. what do you want me to do, not engage with the game? occasionally you get to click a 'hey, look, I'm also from baldur's gate!' dialogue option, but it never adds up to much.

it's frustrating in a way, because this being so specifically D&D-based really calls attention to the difference between CRPGs and TTRPGs. at the tabletop, I can give my character a distinctive voice, motivation, general habitas - and other players can respond to that and react appropriately. of course, this is not possible in a CRPG to the same degree, except within the rails laid down by the game writers. since the main character is unvoiced and characters react to dialogue the instant you click it, she is even further diminished from the voiced characters.

something noticeable in this is that it has a similar line reading problem as a lot of Bioware RPGs. characters' lines will sometimes noticeably differ in how they're acted - intonation, force, etc. - and there's that ever-noticeable cut between individual lines of dialogue. it has the feeling that the lines were recorded separately in a studio without much in the way of context.

overall the NPC acting in this game is... well it's that classic modern AAA videogame problem right? the character models and rendering are very lifelike when they're still, but the way the characters move is a bit stiff, a bit broad, a bit unnatural. of course nobody has the money to individually hand-animate every single dialogue line in a CRPG of this sort of scale, so they're leaning on canned animations and procedural blending techniques, and it works sorta well enough. it's got that fuzz of videogame jank to it.

it looks like we're about to run into the Evil Races D&D Problem pretty soon, oh boy! the goblins are attacking the poor tiefling refugees. why? i'm sure it will be given a clear understandable motivation and not just that they're evil by nature, right? this is something that I'm pretty sure the game is inheriting from the OG Baldur's Gate games - I definitely remember venturing into a mine to fight gnolls or something. Minsc was there. I have no doubt Minsc will show up in BG3 as well - he's like the most iconic character in the series.

the contrived nature of the premise is classic D&D shit. "you all meet on a mind flayer spaceship, united by parasites in your brain" is definitely the sort of thing that a human DM would cook up as a campaign starting point. that said, it does feel a little weird that everyone on the mind flayer ship between them cover most of the player classes, each with their own colourful backstory and an identically sized tent that they can pitch in your mysterious extradimensional campsite. I think the fact that the introductions are spread out a bit makes it feel more artificial - I get why they didn't want to frontload it with every single character right at the beginning, but it's like, 'damn, this guy has a player character sort of vibe, i bet he was on the airship' and sure enough, he was...

(speaking of the immersion-breaking camp, the respec guy really seems kinda unnecessary as a diegetic element. just have a menu somewhere, trying to make this skeleton guy make narrative sense just raises way too many questions.)

but I mean I can't complain too much that a videogame is a videogame, right? as I recall, in BG1, the recruitable party members were just random adventurers who you'd run into here and there. this is more of a KotOR II-like scenario, where every character has a thing in common that pushes them together.

the Tactician difficulty level, combined with the squishiness of level 2 characters, is definitely pushing me a bit. I had a fight with some bandits. all of them had names and unique voices, interestingly - really applying the Apocalypse World principles. however they will not like, surrender or anything. don't ask me why I was fighting these people to the death, I don't think they did anything that really did any harm to my character, but I wanted to unlock the respec character and you have to get past them to do it. not that I knew that when I saw hostile characters.

anyway, it was a cool fight because it was a bit of party-vs-party - the enemies were using the same abilities I was, and using the environment to their advantage (read: blowing me up with exploding barrels, the nerve of it). Larian of course have their fancy fluid sim system from the Divinity series, which actually integrates rather well with certain D&D spells like Grease. there's a lot of potentially interesting tactical possibilities, although in the end, it came down to the familiar tactics of 'split them up', 'disable them with debuffs' and 'focus dps'. D&D combat is very swingy - once I took out a couple of that other party, the fight was pretty much decided, but when I'd taken a few downed party members, there wasn't really much reason not to just load the quicksave.

I decided to spec my 'lock as a bladelock - I'm playing a chainlock on tabletop so this seemed like a good way to mix it up. of course then it turned out that Wyll is also a bladelock, so he's probably not gonna get much time in the party ^^' but maybe I should bring him along and we can just be warlock buddies. that said... the 4-person party size is... I can see its necessity as a balancing measure, but it does feel like it pushes me towards the standard healer (shadowheart)/tank (lae'zel)/rogue (astarion)/me structure. since I need someone to unlock doors, I need someone to heal, and I need someone to stop the enemy beating up my poor squishy party members. but now I'm a bladelock, maybe I can take over from Lae'zel as the frontliner and free up a slot for one of the other guys. probably it's a big enough game that there will be room to mix and match parties over the course of it.

one thing I do kinda miss from Bioware's games is the intra-party dialogue triggers. the characters here mostly don't have random conversations, at least so far - maybe they will later in the game. that stuff did a whole lot to add life to your party members and make them feel more like characters.

honestly? this is making me want to go back to various isometric CRPGs like Tyranny. so far, despite spicy elements like the mindflayer thing, I'm not fully hooked by this story. but I will give this one a chance all the same.

[kyndaris]

Heart of Darkness

After finishing off a slew of quick games before my trip overseas, I decided that as I traipsed around South Korea and Japan, it would be good to tackle another Square Enix title. No, it was not Final Fantasy XVI, although I'm sure bleachpanda would have approved. Alas, I didn't have the game on a portable handheld and I wasn't planning on packing my PlayStation 5 into my luggage.

No, I brought something much smaller.

This was a game akin to Octopath Traveler. Except, instead of having playable characters explore the one world and stumbling upon their fellow travellers, this title would see each and every protagonist play out their own self-contained stories of varying lengths across space and time. And all of them would be tenuously linked by a seed of hatred fuelling all the villains they would end-up taking down by the end.

More importantly, the game in question was also a remake. The original had come out aeons ago and had never been translated into English. But with the resurgence in recent years of pixellated art-styles and the success of the 2D-HD hybrid in titles such as Triangle Strategy and Bravely Default, Live a Live was gifted a second chance to appeal to the hearts of gamers worldwide.

Now, when this game first released in 2022, I have to admit, I was a little sceptical about picking it up. There hadn't been much in the way of fanfare for it and I already had quite a few other games on my plate to tackle. COVID-19 might have put a damper on many blockbuster triple-AAA titles but I'd enjoyed a glut of smaller niche titles.

As such, it was hard to try and squeeze Live a Live into my very packed schedule.

And so, it is with a heavy heart for me to admit that I didn't pick up this game until quite a while later. But pick it up I did. And knowing I'd need something to help me unwind during my trip, I chose it to be the game I played.

After all, it had sold itself as having many different stories that could be played independently of each other. So, in my mind, it would be the perfect pick-up and play game.

What I hadn't anticipated was that the first two chapters I'd pick end up being two of the longest: The Near Future and Prehistoric. I was also at a loss to know which order to play the chapters in but settled in for the first option in the rotation.

Near Future stars Akira. After his father passes away, Akira is whisked away to live in an orphanage with his sister. There, he whiles away the time by helping out his friend, Matsu, at a taiyaki stall and lounging on benches in the city park. After a few altercations with the local gang, he stumbles upon a conspiracy where humans are liquified to bring back a bird God, Odeo. The story ends with Akira duking it out against the revived God in the Steel Titan mech, piloted through Akira's psychic powers.

Prehistoric, on the other hand, has Pogo stumbling upon cavewoman Beru, who had fled her own tribe after nearly being sacrificed. Unfortunately, her tribe manages to track her down. Pogo, with the help of his gorilla friend Gori rescue her, bringing down the Tyrannosaurus Rex Beru would have been sacrificed to. In so doing, Pogo wins the respect of his tribe and that of Beru's.

But the story that stood out to me the most was the Far Future one, starring the iconic Cube, a small round robot, who was created by the engineer Kato to assist around the spaceship. The story plays out like a horror story with elements of Alien and System Shock. It isn't long before Cube is forced to face off against the rogue primary artificial intelligence, OD-10.

Then, of course, there are the stories of Sundown Kid, Oboromaru, the Earthen Heart Master and Masaru. Completing all seven of the stories unlocks an eighth chapter: The Middles Ages.

In the Middles Ages, players step into the shoes of Oersted. A knight of the Kingdom of Lucrece, he shows off his prowess at a tourney held by the King. Besting the sorcerer Streibough, Oersted is rewarded the right to marry the king's daughter. That night, as he celebrates his victory, the princess is kidnapped by the Lord of Dark. Oersted sets off on his journey to slay the Lord of Dark at Archon's Roost.

The rescue, however, does not go as planned and Streibough dies. Hasshe, the previous hero who had slain the first Lord of Dark, also falls. With a heavy heart, Oersted returns to Lucrece to report to the king.

It is later revealed, however, that Streibough is alive. Jealous of Oersted, Streibough orchestrates a plot to besmirch Oersted's good name and paint him as the villain. After accidentally killing Lucrece's king, due to an illusion, Oersted finds himself alone and without allies, the citizens of Lucrece quick to denounce him as a new Lord of Dark. Upon Oersted's return to the Archon's Roost, Oersted is forced to confront the traitorous sorcerer. Streibough slain, the princess emerges. But instead of being overjoyed, the princess expresses anger toward Oersted and commits suicide.

Overcome with hatred and despair, Oersted steps into the role of the Lord of Dark, christening himself a new name: Odio and extending his tentacles across time and space. These are, of course, the enemies the rest of the characters fought in their individual stories.

With the end of this eighth chapter, a ninth one opens up: The Dominion of Hate. Here, Odio transports the heroes of the previous chapters to the Kingdom of Lucrece, questioning the reasons why they fight and engaging in battle with them.

Much of the messaging in these last few moments still feel quite relevant to the current situation of our world. Especially as wars rage and people treat each other with disdain, drawing lines in the sand and forgetting that not everything in the world is so black and white. And as more and more people struggle with mental health, giving into the darkness of their hearts as they lash out at others through the anonymity of the internet, I'm reminded once again that most of our lives are more than a few comments or a status update on social media.

And yet, many have now squeezed themselves and their whole personality into 60 second video clips or 240 characters.

The internet may love their 'morally grey' love interests but somehow we've also forgotten there is more that motivates an individual than just one post they might have put up ten years ago.

In the end, it all comes down to what we make of our situations and how we react. Far too often, we rush ahead, blinding assuming people are out to get us without stopping to think things through. And in our bid to remain relevant, we fail to think about the human on the other end of the text chain and their feelings and their lives.

Yes, you may be the 'main character' of your story. But so are others. They aren't just bit characters in your play.

And maybe that's something we need to remind ourselves each day when we take to sending hate through the internet.

In this day and age, I'd hate to fight what sort of Lord of Dark might come out from all the vitriol dwelling inside. Joseph Conrad might have depicted a man's slow descent into evil by venturing deep into a jungle but we are seeing a modern day descent into savagery play out right before our very eyes.

I didn't mean to end everything on a downer though.

From a gameplay perspective, Live a Live keeps it simple with its turn-based combat a la Chrono Trigger and other role-playing games of yesteryear. What was intriguing to me, though, was the grid-like combat and the ability for players to position their characters just-so to deal critical damage or to target more enemies through area-of-effect attacks.

While this necessitated some form of strategy, I also found it easy, once sufficiently levelled, to just hit the final boss with all my strongest attacks without much thought on how long they would take to charge.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with Live a Live and somewhat regret not picking it up earlier. Should Square Enix ever release another experimental title, I think I'd be quite intrigued to see where it might lead.

[dnbuae-business-solutions]

The Significance of Credit Ratings in Business Finance

Credit ratings are more than just numbers; they are powerful tools that influence the economic dynamics of the corporate world. These ratings offer a snapshot of a company’s creditworthiness, playing a crucial role in financial decisions ranging from loan approvals to strategic investments. Businesses with strong credit ratings enjoy numerous advantages, while those with poor ratings face significant challenges. In this article, we will uncover the essence of credit ratings, explore the factors that determine them, and discuss their vital importance for businesses.

What Are Credit Ratings?

Credit ratings are evaluations of the creditworthiness of a borrower, whether an individual, corporation, or government. These ratings are assigned by credit rating agencies and serve as a measure of the risk associated with lending money to the borrower. For businesses, a credit rating can dictate their ability to secure financing, negotiate favorable terms with suppliers, and attract investment.

How Are Credit Ratings Calculated?

Credit ratings are determined by credit rating agencies based on a comprehensive analysis of a company's financial health, including factors such as:

Financial Statements: Analysts scrutinize a company's balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement to assess its financial stability. Key metrics include profitability, revenue growth, debt levels, and liquidity.

Debt Repayment History: A company’s history of repaying its debts is a critical component. Consistent, on-time payments positively influence credit ratings, while defaults or late payments can significantly lower the rating.

Industry Risk: The overall risk associated with the industry in which the company operates is also considered. Industries prone to economic fluctuations or regulatory changes might face more stringent rating criteria.

Economic Environment: The broader economic environment, including factors such as interest rates, inflation, and economic growth, impacts credit ratings. Economic downturns can lead to downgrades as the risk of default increases.

Management Quality: The effectiveness of a company's management team and their strategies for growth and risk management are evaluated. Strong leadership and sound strategic planning can enhance a company’s credit rating.

The Rating Scale

Credit ratings are typically expressed as letter grades. While the specifics can vary slightly between agencies, the general scale includes:

Investment Grade:

AAA: Exceptional creditworthiness.

AA: Very high credit quality.

A: High credit quality.

BBB: Good credit quality.

Non-Investment Grade (Junk):

BB: Speculative, with higher risk.

B: More speculative.

CCC: Vulnerable, high risk of default.

CC: Highly vulnerable.

C: Currently highly vulnerable to non-payment.

D: Default.

Significance for Businesses

Access to Capital

A strong credit rating can significantly enhance a company's ability to access capital. Lenders and investors view companies with high credit ratings as lower risk, making them more willing to offer loans or invest at favorable interest rates. This access to capital is crucial for business expansion, research and development, and overall growth.

Cost of Borrowing

Credit ratings directly influence the cost of borrowing. Companies with higher ratings can secure loans at lower interest rates, reducing their overall cost of capital. Conversely, businesses with lower ratings face higher borrowing costs, which can strain their finances and limit growth opportunities.

Supplier Relationships

Suppliers often consider a company's credit rating when establishing payment terms. A high credit rating can lead to more favorable terms, such as extended payment periods or discounts for early payment, improving cash flow management. Poor credit ratings, on the other hand, might result in stricter terms or require advance payments, impacting liquidity.

Investment Attraction

Investors use credit ratings to gauge the risk associated with investing in a company. High credit ratings signal financial stability and reliable returns, attracting a broader pool of investors. This can drive up the company's stock price and enhance its market valuation. Conversely, low ratings may deter investment or attract only those willing to take on higher risk for potentially higher returns.

Competitive Advantage

A strong credit rating can provide a competitive edge in the marketplace. It enables businesses to negotiate better terms with suppliers, secure cheaper financing, and attract top-tier investors. This financial flexibility can be pivotal in capitalizing on market opportunities, investing in innovation, and responding to competitive threats.

Conclusion

In conclusion, credit ratings are vital indicators of a company's financial health and creditworthiness. They influence a business's ability to secure financing, negotiate terms with suppliers, attract investment, and maintain a competitive edge. By understanding how credit ratings are calculated and their significant impact, businesses can take proactive steps to manage their credit health, ensuring sustainable growth and stability in the ever-evolving economic landscape. Maintaining a strong credit rating is not just about financial prudence; it's about positioning a business for long-term success and resilience.

[govindhtech]

ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP: Best Gaming Monitor

ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP

The ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP, a 32-inch 4K W OLED gaming monitor with a dual mode that lets users switch between 4K @ 240 Hz and FHD @ 480 Hz images, was unveiled today by ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG). The new ROG AI Assistant, which offers in-game assistance to help players practice their aim and enhance their overall gaming experiences, is another highlight of the PG32UCDP. The Micro Lens Array Plus (MLA+) and third-generation ROG OLED technology in the PG32UCDP allow it to display images that are 15% brighter than those on comparable monitors in its class. The PG32UCDP also boasts user-friendly features including USB-C with 90 W Power Delivery1, Auto KVM, OLED Anti-flicker, and Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) technologies.

PG32UCDP Release Date

The ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP is scheduled to be released in August/September 2024.

PG32UCDP

Ready to play games

With the help of a hotkey, users can effortlessly switch between 4K @ 240 Hz and FHD @ 480 Hz visuals on the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP thanks to its dual-mode feature. This lets players enjoy fast and fluid gameplay in first-person shooter games, or dive into the newest AAA titles with breathtakingly detailed game worlds.

 AI Assistant, a collection of smart features like AI Visual2, AI Crosshair, AI Sniper, AI Shadow Boost, and the MOBA Map Helper, is another feature of the ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP.

When something is shown, AI Visual automatically recognizes it and modifies to offer the optimal default or user-specified monitor settings. AI Crosshair makes it easier to aim by changing the crosshair’s colour to contrast with the background. AI Sniper helps players improve their aim during practice sessions by focusing on the Centre of the in-game target. AI Shadow Boost brightens the scene’s shadowy regions to make it simpler to identify opponents lurking in the map’s shadowy spots. In the meantime, MOBA Map Helper alerts players to group battles by sending out reminders through notifications.

PG32UCDP OLED

The Benefit of OLED

The most recent ROG OLED technology guarantees the deepest black tones, exceptional contrast, and lightning-fast 0.03 MS response times for images free of blur. The ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP has third-generation OLED technology with Extreme Low Motion Blur (ELMB) for enhanced motion clarity and Clear Pixel Edge algorithm for legible text. Additionally, the optional uniform brightness feature maintains luminance levels stable for more pleasant viewing, and the ROG-exclusive OLED Anti-flicker technology helps eliminate flicker during frame-rate changes for better gameplay.

To provide the best possible thermal management and reduce the chance of burn-in, the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP has a specially designed heatsink with built-in ventilation channels. ASUS OLED Care delivers extra functions like Pixel Cleaning, Pixel Move, Screen Saver, and more to safeguard the OLED display in addition to the passive cooling architecture. Furthermore, PG32UCDP’s OLED display is protected by a three-year guarantee.

PG32UCDP monitor

Unparalleled adaptability and ease of use

With the PG32UCDP, players can select between 24.5-inch (esports mode) and 27-inch imagery due to its ability to display imagery with different aspect ratios. With the help of the user-friendly ASUS Display Widget Centre interface, users can change the monitor’s settings and access OLED Care features using a mouse. Additionally, there is a hotkey to enable the Auto KVM feature, which enables users to switch between and operate both input devices with a single a keyboard and mouse by automatically detecting a second input source.

PG32UCDP Price

The PG32UCDP has broad connectivity, including DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, HDMI 2.1, USB-C with 90 W Power Delivery3, a headphone jack, and a tripod connector at the top of the monitor, to provide compatibility with a wide range of multimedia devices. The MSRP of the PG32UCDP is $1299.

At $899.00 on the list, the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP is a premium gaming monitor. It is crucial to remember that this is only the beginning pricing and that the final cost may change based on the merchant and any active deals.

ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDP Specs

Display

Panel Size (inch) : 31.5

Aspect Ratio : 16:9

Color Space (DCI-P3) : 99%

Panel Type : WOLED

True Resolution : 3840×2160

Display Viewing Area (HxV) : 696.6 x 391.8 mm

Display Surface : Non-Glare

Pixel Pitch : 0.182mm

Brightness (Max) : 450cd/㎡

Brightness (HDR, Peak) : 1,300 cd/㎡ *

Brightness (100% APL) :250cd/㎡

Contrast Ratio (Typ.) : 1,500,000:1

Viewing Angle (CR≧10) : 178°/ 178°

Response Time : 0.03ms(GTG)

Display Colors : 1073.7M (10 bit)

Flicker free : Yes

HDR (High Dynamic Range) Support : HDR10

Refresh Rate (max) : 240Hz

Dual Mode :Yes, Frame Rate Boost

ASUS OLED Care :Yes

Video Feature

Color Accuracy : △E< 2

GamePlus : Yes

Low Blue Light : Yes (Hardware Solution)

HDCP Support : Yes, 2.2

Game Visual : Yes

VRR Technology : Yes (Adaptive-Sync)

Extreme Low Motion Blur :Yes

HDR Mode : Yes

Shadow Boost : Yes

Display Widget : Yes, DisplayWidget Center

PIP (PBP) Technology :Yes

Aspect Control :Yes

KVM Switch : Yes

I/O Ports

DisplayPort 1.4 DSCx 1

HDMI (v2.1)x 2

USB-Cx 1 (DP Alt Mode)

Earphone jack : Yes

USB Hub : 3x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A

USB-C Power Delivery : 90W

SPDIF out (Optical Digital Audio Out):Yes

Signal Frequency

Digital Signal Frequency : HDMI: 30~255kHz (H) / 24~240Hz (V) DP/Type-C: 510~501kHz (H) / 48~240Hz (V)

Power Consumption

Power Consumption : 44 W**

Power Saving Mode : <0.5W

Power Off Mode : <0.3W

Voltage : 100-240V, 50/60Hz

Mechanical Design

1/4″ Tripod Socket : Yes

Tilt : Yes (+20° ~ -5°)

Swivel : Yes (+15° ~ -15°)

Height Adjustment : 0~80mm

VESA Wall Mounting : 100x100mm

Lighting effect (Aura) : Aura Sync

Kensington Lock : Yes

Dimensions (Esti.)

Phys. Dimension with stand (W x H x D) : 71.4 x 57.9 x 27.4 cm (28.11″ x 22.80″ x 10.79″)

Phys. Dimension without Stand (W x H x D) : 71.4 x 43.0 x 7.1 cm (28.11″ x 16.93″ x 2.80″)

Box Dimension (W x H x D) : 86.8 x 51.4 x 23.8 cm (34.17″ x 20.24″ x 9.37″)

Weight (Esti.)

Net Weight with Stand : 7.3 kg (16.09 lbs)

Net Weight without Stand : 4.5 kg (9.92 lbs)

Gross Weight : 13.5 kg (29.76 lbs)

Accessories (vary by regions)

Color pre-calibration report

DisplayPort cable

HDMI Ultra High Speed Cable

Microfiber cloth

Power adapter

Power cord

Quick release stand

Quick start guide

ROG pouch

ROG sticker

USB 3.2 cable

USB-C cable

VESA mount kit

Warranty Card

Certificate

TÜV Flicker-free

TÜV Low Blue Light (Hardware Solution)

VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Black

AMD FreeSync Premium Pro

G-SYNC Compatible

FSC MIX

Warranty

3 years (including panel burn-in)

Note

*Peak brightness may vary due to color pre-calibration

Read more on govindhtech.com

[yaso711]

The underlying logic of the endless expansion of U.S. national debt

TradeMax Global Markets

Although Fitch International lowered the U.S. credit rating from the highest "AAA" to "AA+", it does not seem to have any impact on the pace and intensity of U.S. Treasury bond issuance. On the basis of US$657 billion already raised in the second quarter, the United States will raise US$1,007 billion and US$852 billion respectively in the third and fourth quarters of this year. Based on the incremental issuance scale, there is no doubt that US debt will exceed US$34 trillion by the end of this year. , and the subsequent larger national debt figures will also cover the previous national debt issuance records. The international community is also concerned about whether this endless national debt expansion will eventually lead to default risks of being unable to repay as scheduled or not repaying debts.

Since it fell from a creditor country to a debtor country in 1985, the United States has never looked back and has gone further and further on the path of national debt expansion. It’s too long to mention that the U.S. national debt was US$17 trillion 10 years ago. Now it has expanded to US$32.6 trillion, a net increase of 94%, and the average annual debt issuance is US$1.57 trillion. At the same time, the proportion of U.S. national debt to GDP did not exceed 100% 10 years ago, but now it exceeds 120%, and the U.S. government sector leverage ratio (the ratio of debt scale to fiscal revenue) is about 13% higher than the average of G20 group members. In addition, if the debt is divided, it is equivalent to a debt of US$236,000 per American household, and a debt of approximately US$100,000 per person. Not only that, the market predicts that the U.S. national debt will exceed $50 trillion by 2030.

The continuous and substantial expansion of the national debt scale actually reflects the basic mirror image of the long-term imbalance of public finance revenue and expenditure. Except for a few years, the U.S. government has historically been unable to make ends meet. Looking at the last 10 fiscal years, U.S. fiscal revenue did not exceed US$4 trillion until fiscal year 2021, but fiscal expenditures exceeded US$4 trillion as early as 2018. If the average fiscal year is used, the average annual fiscal revenue in the 10 years is 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, the average annual expenditure is 5 trillion U.S. dollars, and the annual fiscal deficit is 1.30 trillion U.S. dollars. Among them, the deficit in fiscal year 2020 is the largest, reaching 3.1 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for GDP ratio rose to 16%. Overall, the average annual fiscal deficit in the United States has remained above 7% in the past 10 years, and the deficit in fiscal year 2023 will reach US$1.57 trillion.

Theoretically, the fiscal deficit of the previous year can be made up with the tax revenue of the next year, but the problem is that the fiscal deficit will continue to occur in the next year or even the next year, so the hope of filling the fiscal gap can only be pinned on borrowing. Borrow money. Data show that in the entire fiscal expenditure, the proportion of U.S. Treasury debt revenue generally remains at about 30%, which means that 30% of the revenue to maintain fiscal balance needs to come from Treasury debt, and the fiscal dependence on Treasury debt reaches 30%. However, as the scale of debt increases, the pressure on interest payments will also increase. Statistics show that U.S. federal fiscal interest expenditures reached US$475 billion in fiscal year 2022, and may exceed US$660 billion in fiscal year 2023.

Issuing treasury bonds is a common practice for almost all countries in the world, but no country can sell its treasury bonds around the world without any promotion like the United States. It has even been heavily allocated as a core asset by many countries. Not only that, U.S. debt has also been labeled It has received a high-level safety symbol and is widely supported and welcomed by other market entities, so much so that many investors believe that there is no risk of default on U.S. debt. Even Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman recently It also concluded that there will be no debt crisis in the United States in the next 10 to 20 years.

It must be admitted that the sales of any kind of bond first depends on the financial strength of the borrower, that is, whether it has the ability to repay principal and interest on schedule, and has never had a record of default. Otherwise, the buying and selling logic of financing and investment cannot continue. Data show that in the past 10 years, the U.S. federal government’s revenue in the smallest fiscal revenue year has reached 2.5 trillion U.S. dollars. Even if the maximum interest payment amount in fiscal year 2023 is used as a reference, the fiscal revenue is enough to pay for four years of national debt. Interest, that is to say, in each fiscal year in the past 10 years, the U.S. government’s fiscal revenue can pay interest on Treasury bonds for at least four years. This determines that there is no default on U.S. Treasury bonds, and it also allows the market to hold more U.S. debt This provides a sense of security, and as long as the economy can reach an average annual growth rate of 2.4% as it has in the past 10 years, the U.S. government's fiscal revenue can still cover debt repayment interest, and debt sustainability can be maintained.

Of course, according to calculations by the U.S. Budget Office, current interest payments on national debt already account for 9% of the entire fiscal revenue. In the future, the remaining share of debt repayment interest on fiscal revenue will continue to increase. However, it must be clear that stable fiscal revenue is important for national debt. In terms of issuance, it only plays an endorsement role. In fact, the U.S. government cannot allow all debt interest to be borne by fiscal revenue. It is even stupid enough to actually use fiscal revenue to pay interest. Instead, it will only use the revenue obtained from additional issuance of national debt. The interest-paying function of fiscal revenue thus touches the real basis of debt expansion—US dollar credit. In short, it is US dollar credit that supports and maintains the expansion of US debt. The reason why this logical connection can be formed is related to the creation of the Federal Reserve. The way the dollar is credited is directly related.

Different from the traditional fiscal theory of "living within one's means", the Federal Reserve follows the Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). The core principle of this theory is that the main body of base money creation is a combination of the government and the central bank. Through the government's issuance of treasury bonds and the central bank's Purchasing completes the creation of base money. Specifically, the Federal Reserve creates incremental money based on the amount of national debt, and after the national debt matures, the Treasury returns the currency to the Federal Reserve. The interactive closed loop ensures that currency depreciation will not be caused by excessive spillover of the US dollar. Therefore, it can be said that the Federal Reserve creates credit and The process of recovering U.S. dollars is actually an act of maintaining the credit of the U.S. dollar. Correspondingly, although the U.S. dollar has experienced periodic declines from time to time in the flow process, the general historical trend has been continuously upward.

What we have to admit is that in addition to the Fed's way of creating money that maintains the credit of the US dollar, the global unbalanced monetary system actually constitutes another protective barrier for the credit of the US dollar. Although it has been 52 years since the Bretton Woods System disintegrated, the US dollar’s hegemony in global finance and trade remains unchanged. Of the 81 raw material price series released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, only 5 are not priced in US dollars. In terms of circulation, according to SWIFT statistics, the current market share of the US dollar in international payments is 46%; in cross-border trade financing, the US dollar’s share is as high as 84%; in addition, in global foreign exchange transactions, the US dollar accounts for 88%, while financial transactions 47% of international claims are denominated in US dollars, and up to 58% of international reserves are US dollar assets. In terms of the proportion of the above indicators, the US dollar currently ranks first. This privileged status of "one currency alone" means that the US dollar is no longer a single sovereign currency, but has been given the responsibility of the global "credit standard".

It is the U.S. dollar that has acquired a unique credit that is different from other sovereign currencies and has performed very stably so far. The credit and value of U.S. dollar treasury bonds have naturally been recognized by the market. Data shows that the Federal Reserve currently holds 40% of the treasury bonds, overseas central banks hold a total of about 25%, and the two boxes together account for as much as 65%. Although for the purpose of hedging the risk of local currency depreciation, the central banks of some countries will Selling U.S. debt in the secondary market is only a short-term and strategic behavior, and excessive selling will inevitably increase the pressure on the local currency to appreciate, which in turn will curb the country's exports, weaken the foundation of foreign exchange reserves, and harm the country's balance of international payments. ability and external financing credit. This is also true. The global central bank's allocation of U.S. debt has been in a state of increasing and slowly rising. The credit of U.S. debt has also been further consolidated. U.S. Treasury bonds are the most important and safest in the world. The status of safe-haven assets has also been continuously strengthened.

TMGM

The last thing to emphasize is that with the support of relatively stable currency and credit, the United States has this unique condition in the operation of sovereign debt that other countries in the world cannot create and imitate. It is precisely by virtue of its own advantages in scarce resources that it has In any investment and financing scenario, U.S. Treasury bond products are always in short supply in the market, and the failed auction of U.S. Treasury bonds has become a legend that has never happened. It is worth noting that although the latest U.S. bond auction has a Fitch rating Despite the disturbance of downward factors, the number of domestic and foreign buyers participating in the placards has been increasing, and the proportion of foreign buyers has reached a record high in history.

As the scale of debt expands, the U.S. finance will definitely feel more pressure. To this end, it needs to be diverted and resolved through economic growth, especially through fiscal austerity arrangements such as reducing public expenditures and increasing taxes. However, the result will inevitably have a negative impact on business activities and markets. Investment and consumer demand are suppressed, and this result is obviously not what the leaders want to see. On the contrary, issuing more national debt is simpler and more convenient than tightening finances, and it is easier to obtain revenue. Although it expands the fiscal deficit, if it simultaneously improves people's welfare and even stimulates the economy, not only can the governance risks be minimized, but also the government's risks can be minimized. Public reputation will also increase day by day. It seems that the expansion of US national debt will only always be on the way.

[bravelys]

who are some of your fave bravely characters im curious :-3

AAA sorry for taking so long to answer I just saw this!!

Truth is I havejt been able to play bravely II yet cause Ive been budy with Uni, but I plan on finally playing it this summer! (After replaying the original and second so I can get the #full expirience).

So these are my opinions before replaying the games so Im curious to see if they'll change afterwards!

FF4 heroes of light (counting it as a bravely game since its the predecesor): Torte! This man had like 6 lines in the whole game and I love him SO much he's just. Hes just. (Spins him around in my mind like a microwave). But if I had to pick a fave from the main cast I think it'd be Jusqua, the whole bit where he tries to rescue "Aire" is so charming and funny it really endeared him to me :)

Bravely Default: Tiz! Hes just sooooo sweet and caring and honest I love him so much. Hes loyal to a fault and loves taking care of people and keeping them safe like the shepherd he is. The way he cared for Egil right after meeting him because he reminded him of his brother was so ;_; I just have a huge soft spot for genuine and caring characters man

Bravely Second: Yew! I dont really have much to say about him except that hes neat :) He's just a really nice dude who wants to do right by people!!! I also gotta say Janne and Nikolais betrayal just hit different after replaying the demo over and over again, I really sympathized with Yew there

And thats all! Ill probably update this after replaying all the games and default II, based on my track record I think Seth will probably be my fave though lmao

[bopinion]

2023 / 18

Aperçu of the Week:

"Experience is the hardest kind of teacher. It gives you the test first and the lesson afterward."

(Oscar Wilde)

Bad News of the Week:

What's true in security policy is also true in fiscal policy: if the U.S. isn't fit, the whole world gets sick. The world's (still) largest economy sets the tone. Many global trade flows, e.g. for energy, are conducted in U.S. dollars, and in many countries it has replaced the domestic currency - whether unofficially, as in Zimbabwe, or even officially, as in El Salvador. So what happens to the U.S. economy or the U.S. dollar has global implications.

In the process, there seems to be a kind of parallel universe. Normally, in the economy, when a so-called insolvency threatens, all the alarm bells go off: Employees look for new jobs, suppliers stop supplying, the bank cancels the credit line, creditors are left sitting on their claims. The company is simply bankrupt, at the end of its rope, with no future prospects. Except, perhaps, for a few fillet pieces that the competition buys up at bargain prices. This does not apply to the USA. Because it is effectively bankrupt. And no one seems to care.

The current debt level - only of the state, not of its companies (banking crisis) or citizens (mortgage and credit card crisis) - amounts to $31.38 trillion. This is significantly more than the gross domestic product (GDP) of $26.85 trillion. In fact, this can never be repaid. For comparison: in Germany, $2.73 trillion in debt is compared to a GDP of $5.32 trillion. And we feel that this is bad. The creditors of the USA sit primarily abroad - whether friendly like Japan or even downright hostile like China. And sleep apparently nevertheless calmly. And that even in the face of the current (once again) concrete threat of insolvency.

Normally, and this has been the case for decades, this is nothing more than a ritual: the money is no longer enough, Republicans and Democrats agree - sometimes with more, sometimes with less dispute - to ignore the debt ceiling, which is actually regulated by law, they obtain money on the markets without any problems and act as if nothing had happened. Until next time. Business as usual.

This year, things may turn out differently. Because the trench warfare between the duopoly parties could reach a new level. Which this time might not be done with a few government agencies and national parks closed for two weeks. Already since the in many ways ridiculous election of Kevin McCarthy as Republican majority leader in the House of Representatives, this has been publicly announced. Because the ultra-right MAGA freaks like Marjorie Taylor Green or Matt Gaetz have made it clear that they will play hard ball on this issue at the latest: rather cuts in social services as well as environmental protection than a suspension of the debt ceiling. For party-political reasons and without a shred of interest in economic or financial policy. At the same time, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warns that so far it has only been possible to avert default through "a series of extraordinary measures".

Strange that the U.S. nevertheless has a credit rating of AAA. Is that perhaps because the three relevant agencies, Standard & Poor, Moody's and Fitch, are all U.S.-based private firms? Or that no one wants to admit that there may be a systematic problem after all? In every banking crisis - and we have one right now that is nowhere as dramatic as in the U.S. - the term "too big to fail" makes the rounds. The land of unlimited opportunity, unreal projection surface for the hopes and dreams of large parts of the world's population, must not be allowed to fail. That is psychology. It's certainly not mathematics.

Good News of the Week:

More and more often, I notice on the train and in the supermarket that I'm the only one still wearing an FFP2 mask. Yet I'm not an overly anxious person. I am merely part of a vulnerable group for whom it is still better not to become infected with the corona virus. But that is my personal decision. And no longer a legal requirement. Because there isn't one anymore. Except in many doctors' offices, where masks are still mandatory if that's what the doctor wants - which objectively would have made sense even earlier, because after all, that's basically where a disproportionate number of viruses and bacteria are buzzing around.

Basically, I'm glad that the Word Health Organization (WHO) officially lifted the international health emergency due to Corona on Friday. After more than three years of a worldwide pandemic. In the balance, there are more than 20 million deaths. A health system that reached its limits and exceeded them in many countries. A mass death of retailers and cultural institutions. Lots of children and young people with mental health problems - or at least major failures as they grew up.

Many health policy decisions were right. Many were wrong. Some fellows discovered their social empathy. Some a penchant for conspiracy theories. Friendships and bonds of solidarity have grown. Or were destroyed. As is so often the case in life, the task now is to learn from the past for the future. Because it will not be the last challenge that human society will have to face - looking at the news, the multi-crisis still dominates.

Therefore, it is nice that we have at least left behind the frightening side effects of the Corona pandemic. Which will accompany us from now on as a "completely normal" respiratory disease with a potentially fatal outcome. Like the flu. Because let's face it: normality can be very reassuring.

Personal happy moment of the week:

Last Monday was May 1, a public holiday in Germany. And while on "Labor Day" (actually absurd that this day of all days is a public holiday) demonstrations of the trade unions for more workers' rights take place everywhere in Germany, the accent in Bavaria is elsewhere. Namely on the maypole. A tradition according to which an approximately 30 meter high, white-blue painted trunk is erected with muscle power - accompanied by music, dance and beer. Cancelled the last years because of Corona, it was nice to be able to celebrate this festival again this year. Even the rain had a mercy and took a break for the crucial three hours.

I couldn't care less...

...that the United Kingdom has a new head of state since yesterday, King Charles III. And so do Canada, Australia, New Zealand and 13 other Commonwealth countries. All the pomp, his costumes and rituals etc. show me one thing above all: monarchies are no longer in keeping with the times. And are not democratic.

As I write this...

...I am listening to music. Right now John Legend. And think about the fact that this is probably the only undoubtedly exclusively positive achievement of mankind: art. Whether it's music, poetry, performing or visual art, analog or digital, live or documented. The kind of creativity that does not seek a concrete use value, but stimulates, entertains, inspires, polarizes, makes you think. L'art pour l'art is something very beautiful.

Post Scriptum

Germany reached its "earth overload day" last week. So if all of humanity were as wasteful with resources as we are, it would need three Earths. We only buy green electricity and drive an all-electric car or use public transportation. We try not to throw away food and collect everything that can be recycled. We order as little as possible from Amazon (okay: also because we simply can't stand the working conditions of this company and its owner himself) and basically try to reduce our consumption (okay: this also saves money and has an educational value). And yet we are more part of the problem than part of the solution. Sigh...

[targentis]

i Know i'm thinking about this way harder than i should but octopath traveler has me analyzing the functions of video games

everyone knows i have mixed feelings about octopath 1. the writing is atrocious and the characters are bland. but it's a genuinely fun game with unique gameplay concepts that make me want to keep playing it and it has my favorite soundtrack of all time. so i still consider it one of my favorite games, even though at the same time it drives me nuts. so that got me thinking...was it a Good game? how can i answer that question?

my first thought was to figure out whether it was successful in its meta goals; i.e., the general goals of a classic JRPG, styled as it was. and to figure that out, i had to break it down.

first, i'm going to say this: i'm ignoring the primary goal of "making money". octopath was made by TWO AAA studios. i KNOW they want to make money. that aside, though, there are elements to video games as an art form that serve as a means to make that money, so...whether you like capitalism or not, these points still stand.

now. what was octopath trying to do?

it's a classic JRPG with those 2.5D graphics made by Square Enix...so one of the most glaring goals was to evoke nostalgia. and i'd say they succeeded at that, with their extremely familiar character tropes, settings, and orchestral score. it hearkens back to Final Fantasy games of yore, like Bravely Default did, but they also put their own unique spin on it so it feels just nostalgic enough without being redundant.

however, that aspect also held them back in the narrative department. now, JRPGs in particular are known for being narrative-heavy, and storytelling is important to the medium even moreso than the gameplay (as opposed to western RPGs, where open worlds are the default and story is sidelined for cool gameplay gimmicks). octopath is a story-heavy game; you're following EIGHT narratives throughout the game, with a promise that those eight coalesce into a unifying crescendo. except...that's not really what happens? i mean, there's a final boss/true ending/whatever, but as a whole the eight stories are kept completely separate, even though they join the same party at some point. i won't get too far into it--i've said enough about this point already--but that aside, what writing there is is incredibly contrived, cliched, and uninteresting. it's not all because the game itself is one big nostalgia bait. there was only one (!!!) writer in charge of all of this, after all. but, at least to me, i can't say they succeeded at bringing something new to the JRPG table when there are so many other contemporary games with so much more meaningful plots and characters.

that being said, i also just don't think that was one of their priorities. i mean, if it was, they'd have more than one writer. lol. eight stories. fuck's sake. anyway, it has another Big goal, one that most modern video games share. and that is aesthetic appeal. octopath is a Gorgeous gorgeous game, and they basically pioneered the 2.5D graphics bandwagon, so i Must give them credit. the sound design is also top tier, and DID I MENTION THE SOUNDTRACK? needless to say, that was a success, and it was probably what sold all those copies. it's much easier to tell from trailers and screenshots how a game Looks and Plays than the quality of the narrative, which is probably why they prioritized those two features over the writing. something something we live in a society.

overall, i guess it depends on what you're trying to get out of this game--or any game--that dictates whether or not it's "good". as a whole, analyzing it like this, i still would say it's a good game. it succeeded at most of the standards set by its genre, and i'm pretty sure they succeeded at the only goals they set for themselves. with octopath 2's superior writing and character design (thanks to writer number two joining the team, thank god), i can tell they realized where the first game failed and brought it up to snuff while maintaining the rest, and i'd be seriously impressed if it wasn't Square Enix at the helm, but what do i know about the team. it could have been tiny.

all this is to say. octopath 2 sexy. octopath 1 walked so octopath 2 could run

[gingus-arts]

i did this >:) i also wrote a mini informal essay [read: i rambled] to explain my choices in depth and i will post that here because the character limit on instagram will not let me ;;;

also here is it in photos if that's easier 2 read (i,, spent all this time editing them for insta—)

here’s the text version-

“ okay so i'm gonna explain my choices bc i like talkin bout shit :D

0. their heights r just based on what the wiki said and their ages (and sexualities) r just my headcannons based on what i feel suits them, + a bit of what i've seem in the fandom

1. big spoon v. little spoon – i think kai would default to big spoon just bc shin is smaller than him & kai is protective but i don't think kai would mind being the little spoon at all, however his hair gets in shin's face when shin's the big spoon djshjfd. generally i don't think they'd spoon that much just because shin would be pretty hesitant to do something as overtly vulnerable and romantic as cuddling but kai likes that kind of stuff so shin would compromise occasionally u//u and as they're together longer he'd get more okay with it

2. lends clothes v. borrows clothes – i just think shin would steal kai's clothes and kai would let it happen. he finds it endearing (at least,, until he runs out of clothes ajdksj) [oh ya also i think they'd be roommates so that's how he'd steal his clothes u.u] shin probably would deny he was doing it if kai brought it up but it's very obvious

3. doesn't use pet names v. uses pet names – i just think shin would feel awkward using pet names shdjsj and in general show affection more with his actions than words, but i think kai would be okay with the occasional "darling" and "my love," esp if it gets a reaction out of shin

4. introverted v. extroverted – they r just both introverted 😔😔 i think they'd both like their alone time a lot (esp shin). i do think kai would like hanging out with other ppl a lot but find it somewhat draining to function in normal social situations for too long. u could say the same about shin but to a lesser degree, and it's a bit different since it's more about shin having a mask up in public & less abt being alert and not used 2 it like kai

5. affection thru words v. affection thru actions – i just think they'd both be really awkward when it comes to voicing their affections aaa, especially shin, just bc of the vulnerability it requires,, i think shin would try very hard not to make himself vulnerable after having that shit relationship he did w/ midori (ik it didn't specify what their relationship was or what midori was like but i have my hc's ajdjs)

6. confesses first v. waits for confession – i don't think shin would believe that kai likes him, even if it was really obvious that he did, without some very obvious sign. like he'd suspect it but keep denying it and not want to ask bc he might get turned down— i think kai would b a little less likely to get caught up in that because he'd be okay with shin turning him down (like,, not "okay with" per se but he'd understand why because he doesn't think he'd be much of a partner or friend in general 😭😭 so he'd force himself to be okay with it for the sake of not being "selfish") also i think kai would want to get The Feelings over with whereas shin would b like Repress Repress Repress Repre

7. screams about bugs v. squashes bugs w/ shoe – i think shin would b That Brand of afraid of bugs where u just avoid them or leave the room if they're there but scream if they come too close. kai's not afraid but i think he'd let the bugs live sometimes instead of just killing them

8. drives the car v. can't drive lol – i just think kai'd be good at driving since he's very meticulous and attentive, tho i just don't think he'd have too much experience. shin, on the other hand, has experience but is Not meticulous or particularly attentive sjfhdjdj

9. can't cook for shit v. cooks dinner – kai's placement is pretty self explanatory DJSHJF i just think he'd like cooking for shin and he also hates seeing shin drown himself in noodle cups & other store bought things when he could have An Actual Meal. shin,, has barely ever cooked so he's just Not Good At It At All

10. dislikes pda v. loves pda – i think shin would hate pda since he would even be uncomfortable with private affection to some degree (esp in the start of their relationship) because Vulnerability and blah blah blah but kai likes a little bit of it, like h*lding h*nds and occasional kisses on cheeks, and shin can live with that (even tho he does get flustered by it)

11. overprotective v. chill going – kai was (is?) legit sara's protector i think he'd have a hard time giving up the solid sense of protectiveness he feels for the people he cares about, especially when he's quite capable in protecting them. generally i think shin would b pretty chill but protective in the sense that kai can be his own worst enemy sometimes. small things like (subtly, bc he wouldn't want kai to know what he's doing) checking that kai's eating & sleeping enough, making sure no one's taking advantage of kai's tendency(? idk if that's the right word) to take care of others. generally this kind of stuff probably wouldn't be a problem but i think if kai was in a bad state he may fall into it. idk if that even counts as protectiveness tho 😔😔

12. has more relationship experience v. has NO relationship experience – THEY BOTH WOULD HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP EXPERIENCE (except shin w/ sou but that's really unhealthy so it like barely counts sjfjs) and i'd wager that they have,, little relationship experience in general. like, including friendships and stuff. i think that's neat in this case bc they're on the same level in that sense and can learn to communicate healthily and other relationship stuffs alongside each other u//u 👉🏼👈🏼 i feel like mishima would help them out in that regard a lot lol. it'd be fun if joe and sara did too 🥺

13. HORNY LEVEL – i,, i'm not sure if this needs an explanation but— i don't think shin would be too horny and kai wouldn't want to bother his partner with him being horny so he'd just deal w/ it. like his wants have just been stifled by being groomed to be used, if that makes sense

14.  AWKWARDNESS LEVEL – soo if this was in general i would've put both of their awkwardness levels lower but i assume this is in the context of relationship awkwardness so YES i think they'd both be pretty awkward around romantic stuff. just not understanding what to do and how to do it and stuff sjhfdfh

15. JEALOUSY LEVEL – okay so, kai and shin are two different flavours of insecure. shin is the type where when he feels inadequate he'd get jealous or bitter / upset, and when kai feels inadequate he'd accept that he's not good enough and shy away, n he'd probably feel pretty sad about it if his inadequacy was prolonged. so, if shin thinks that kai's hanging out with others more than him and seems to be happier with them, he's going to get really jealous (and mayhaps,, kinda feel like shit about it since he knows he shouldn't be jealous or upset bc kai is happy) and maybe a little distant or passive aggressive consequently. kai would just be like "aw shin's making friends :>" and if he starts to feel insecure about how much time or how shin acts around others compared 2 him, he'd internalize it and be like "well yeah i suck so this was bound to happen. Anyway i am going to make eggs benedict and cry now" “

[0poole]

Bloons

Honestly the entire Bloons series has been some of my favorite flash/other-than-flash games out there, and I feel like it’s worth bringing it up since I just crossed the 365 day threshold for BTD6. Maybe in the past, but nowadays I definitely don’t feel like I ever play a game daily for a year straight. Chances are it was a little desperate when I first started playing, but as of now literally every single day I open the game up and play the daily challenge just for the sake of it. Plus, since the chest technically resets every 9 hours or so instead of 24, I could’ve cheesed it a bit, but I didn’t. That’s a pure 365 days of playing the game.

And even apart from that, the entire Bloons series has been in my mind since the first one and my middle/elementary school Coolmath Games days. Even though the puzzle, pure form of Bloons wasn’t as much in my interest, the staying power of the Tower Defense version is crazy. Flash Tower Defense games are plenty, and yet the one with the stupid monkeys throwing darts at balloons was the best.

I went back semi-recently and played a round of each BTD, and I gotta say, it was fun seeing where everything came from. 1 is absolute garbage, forcing you to just spam Super Monkeys if you want to get anywhere, but a good starting point obviously. I honestly know nothing about the people creating these games, but obviously it wasn’t made by a AAA crew, so you can’t expect everything to be put in place in the first iteration. 2 and 3 feel much better, but obviously not much after being so used to the modern stuff, and 4 and 5 are the ones that really shine the most, apart from 6 obviously.

I definitely was one of the types of people who initially reacted poorly to the artstyle change of 5 and 6, but I’ve definitely turned over. I don’t know if the whole BTD community rioted at that point, but I at least was like “ew, they’re cute now” when I first saw it. Thankfully I turned over, and realized the current designs are the absolute best out of the entire franchise. Also, I love their cuteness, as I love cuteness in general, so basically just call it character growth. Even though 2D art always is more interesting for games than 3D in general, the entire art direction of 6 is genuinely really good, being so bright and cartoony (at least before the fifth stages of upgrades) really fits the cartoony idea of monkeys popping bloons. 5, and the entire franchise before it, really is proof enough how horrible a pure top-down perspective is. On the title screen, you can see what the monkeys are supposed to look like, but in-game they literally look like weird blobby scorpions. Even though in the back of my mind I knew what they were supposed to look like, the pure top-down perspective completely ruined the image. Not to mention the OG designs for the monkeys was really weird and bad anyway. Even if you wanted a goofy fat kind of monkey, there are a million better ways to achieve that than how it used to be. Again, of course, they weren’t exactly AAA game-level quality, so you can’t expect such perfect character design.

But, oh my god. One of the things about this game that must’ve kept me through 6 was the character designs. If you know anything about me, it’s that I love a good character design, and 6 is full of them. It’s so interesting to see how they extrapolate the main concepts of each tower into their three different paths. The generic Superman-based monkey can turn into a Batman-based monkey, a Terminator-based monkey, and a fucking ancient god of the sun. The seemingly chill Druid can smite people with the power of Zeus, become the much more expected forest-based type, but also turn into this completely out-there being of pure wrath. I could go on and on about that, but needless to say for so many of them look and are designed so great. I think the tower with the coolest level 5s of the game is the Ninja. It’s hard to explain, but they all just look really cool while also not deviating too much from the cartoony-cute art style. I think my all-time favorite level 5 is the top path of the Wizard, mostly just because he looks really cool, but also because the parts of the path before it show him aging and growing out his beard. I also have to say the 2-0-3/4 Wizard also looks exactly my style, with the dark purply-ness and gold rims. Also, if you haven’t noticed, the Magic monkeys are my favorite type, and not just because their signature color is purple. That’s part of it though. Magic is also just cool in general. My main RPG-class of choice is almost always a mage/wizard.

Also, the heroes are also really fun. As someone who often creates species of aliens/monsters, I always feel like I want to create a dedicated character out of them no matter what, so I feel like the heroes are basically just that. And, of course they have good designs too, and of course as you can probably guess my favorite is Adora, basically being the same thing as the 5-0-0 Wizard with the Sun God aesthetic. Since she has her own stage and a special interaction with the True Sun God/Vengeful Monkey, I think she’s a pretty big deal anyway. I will say that I highly slept on Gwen, but then for Easter they gave her the Harlegwen skin and I fell in love. It’s insanely good stuff. Apart from looks, it does feel nice to have some sort of interchangeable tower that you basically just place and forget about, aside from using their powers. Plus, it makes a really easy type of thing to periodically add to the game to keep things fresh, even with the skins in general. It definitely is much better than the stuff they had in 5, where you had to use Monkey Money to buy each one, and you could only use them once per stage. Obviously 6 has the extra powers to help you out, but they feel much more optional and cheaper than the heroes of 5. Since I barely buy anything with Monkey Money to begin with, and since I’ve obviously had 365 chest openings, and AND since I barely use them to begin with, I’m completely stocked up. I only ever use the farmer and sometimes the tech bot if I get lazy. I did use the portable lake I got from my 365th chest opening after I got it, just for the sake of celebration. That’s literally how my mind goes.

6 does have the slight tinge of a mobile game artstyle, but in this case it’s really just better. I’m not into mobile games, and especially not the generic artstyle they have, but it is really pleasing to look at anyway. It did chase me off before I converted, though. That, and the fact you had to buy it now. Like a true gamer, I was put off by the fact that something that was once expected to be free now has to be paid for. But, then, I realized that the entire franchise has provided much more than 10$ worth of entertainment to me throughout time, so it was extremely fair to pay that. It is still kinda weird how 5 has to be paid for for mobile, when it is just free online, though. However, unlike a true gamer I think the microtransactions of the game are extremely fair. Considering they just give you things that you don’t need, and can get for free otherwise, I think it’s completely fine to have them. It sounds bad on the surface to have to pay for the game and have there still be microtransactions in it, but since they’re completely optional there’s no good reason to hate it. I think people assume that means that you have to pay for the game, and pay extra for different major parts of the game, and that sours their opinion on everything. Gamers are a strange, irrationally angry breed. I do hate using my phone for pretty much anything, though, so once I bought 6 on Steam I haven’t played it on my phone since. It’s just so much better in every single way...

I bought the game around the time of one of my family’s semi-annual trips to England because I thought it’d help when we were traveling between wi-fi spots, and it really did wonders for me then. Probably looked like some asshole teen to strangers who don’t know I barely ever use my phone for anything, since I was playing it so much. My sister even saw me playing it and bought it for herself, although I don’t know how much she’s played since then. 

For the sake of stats, I have 235 hours played of it on Steam alone, and in game I’m level 115. My most complete map is Monkey Meadow with all medals except CHIMPS, which I put the effort in because it’s the default map, and definitely not because it’s an easy/good map because it’s just kinda bad compared to so many other ones. My Dart monkey has a total of 4 million XP, and the only towers that haven’t crossed a million are the Ice, Heli, Alchemist, Druid, and Spike factory monkeys/tower. I think the farthest I’ve actually gotten round-wise is 200 once or twice, but I don’t remember if I’ve actually beaten that level and continued on or lost there. I think I might’ve gotten past it once, but just sort of lost interest in micro-managing my powers and let myself lose. I probably got there once after that and lost on it. As someone who didn’t look up the optimal strategies for things until very recently, I think that’s pretty good. It definitely feels like the kind of game where if you know the best strategies, you can literally just replicate that over and over and win really easily, but that just sounds kinda boring. Since I pretty much only do daily challenges nowadays, it forces me to use a limited amount of towers, so I either go much farther because it forces me to build up less towers more, or it makes sure I can’t even pass round 90 because it just was made to get you to round 40 and that’s it. When I have the full range of towers to use, I feel like I try to get the instant satisfaction of getting a new tower to increase DPS instead of making the few towers I have/need reach their full potential, which seems to be the better option. I also don’t really sell anything when I don’t have a limited number of monkeys to place, which I think is also a good strategy if you can eliminate the major money loss in it, since it can give you a massive boost in cash to get you the better upgrades quicker. I may or may not try to learn the strategies to wipe the rest of the game clean eventually, but right now I’m fine with just doing the dailies.

But yeah, that’s like the whole thing with Bloons Tower Defense and me. Something something reject modernity, embrace monke, or whatever the kids these days are saying.

I will say that if I didn’t have so many OCs to work with and could just pump out animated shorts on the reg, I’d love to do some sort of Bloons shorts. They’d all lean into the ridiculousness of it all. Like, the first one could do the 2001 thing with the monkeys learning to use sticks, and as the main one is bashing the ground with one or whatever and throws it up, an ancient, leathery patchwork bloon flies overhead and accidentally bumps the stick such that it lands back on the main monkey’s head, knocking him out. Cue the monkeys around him to go berserk and start throwing other sticks at the ancient bloon, and once they pop it using a sharp stick, they realize what they must do. Cue a long montage of the different stages of war and invention using the monkeys finding better ways to fend off the bloons, with the whole idea being that the monkeys are getting irrationally angry at the bloons, who are just sort of around and not actually sentient, even though they assume they’re malicious because of their history and upbringing. Absolutely no political message in there whatsoever. Just comedy.

Other short ideas could include, for the start of the modern time story, it could be the backstory of some sort of chiseled veteran main character, which would involve a bloon floating into his town, and from the people’s panic someone knocks over a lamp post that sets his town ablaze, only for him and his people to blame the carnage on the bloon, causing his classic edgy character motives for fighting against the bloons. Another, much more golden idea, would be an interrogation scene, where a bunch of monkeys capture a bunch of bloons for interrogation purposes. They’d obviously do the whole “Silent treatment, eh? Well, we have ways of making you talk...” thing, except the “way to make them talk” is to strap them to a wall with one dart guy on one side to systematically pop them to try and extract info. But, of course, it would look and play out exactly like the classic Bloons puzzle game. That’d be the fun part. If not that, then it could be like the classic carnival game that likely inspired the idea of using darts to pop balloons. I really just think this weird world of monkeys and bloons is perfect for some good comedic content. Watching the monkeys severely overreact to the bloons sounds extremely fun, and I’d love to see someone do something with it some day.

[dolcetters]

THE POSITIVE & NEGATIVE; mun & muse - meme.

TAGGED BY: @hyaciiintho​ ( ;-; AAA THANK!!! )

TAGGING (don’t feel obligated to do it!): @forsakenflora , @avadite , @yinseal , @inseparabilum , @reigningsniper , @tsume-awase​ , @canisfuria​ & YOU if you wanna!

FILL OUT & REPOST ♥ this meme definitely favors canons more, but i hope oc’s still can make it somehow work with their own lore, and lil’ fandom of friends & mutuals. multi-muses pick the muse you are the most invested in atm.

----------------------------------------------------

MY MUSE IS:   CANON / OC / AU / CANON-DIVERGENT / FANDOMLESS

Is your character popular in the fandom?  YES / NO

Is your character considered hot™ in the fandom?  YES  / NO / IDK (he’s fetishized a lot; thanks, i hate it)

Is your character considered strong in the fandom? YES / NO / IDK (i’d lean more toward no)

Are they underrated?  YES / NO

Were they relevant for the main story?  YES / NO / MAYBE (stares into the abyss)

Were they relevant for the main character?  YES / NO / THEY’RE THE PROTAG

Are they widely known in their world?  YES / NO / MAYBE

How’s their reputation?  GOOD / BAD / NEUTRAL (true neutral, my boy)

HOW STRICTLY DO YOU FOLLOW CANON? ♠ || i have an ongoing joke that “canon is a slab of meat that we slow-roast at 475 degrees and carve for the juicy bits” but at the same time it’s not a joke at all, i’m being perfectly serious. i’m definitely a lot less strict than when i started for writing canon characters way back yonder, but i also DO like to keep within an array of canon boundaries because i’m not writing for an OC in this instance, i’m writing for an established character. ...it also doesn’t help that my character’s handled differently in the 4 types of media he shows up in but. i grew up reading DC comics and writing for beast boy, so i’m kind of used to “multiple takes existing for singular character”. 

that being said, my take on dol is clearly canon divergent (since... he’s alive and my default verse takes place after the nest raid) but it pulls primarily from brotherhood/manga with a couple dashes of 2k3 series (since that’s the only media that gives us a length of time that he was in the labs). but given that i follow along with just about every scrap of information provided in the manga on this clown, i’d say i follow canon fairly strictly... but there ain’t a lot to go off of, so my reins are pretty loose no matter how you look at it. my city now.

SELL YOUR MUSE! AKA TRY TO LIST EVERYTHING, WHICH MAKES YOUR MUSE INTERESTING IN YOUR OPINION TO MAKE THEM SPICY FOR YOUR MUTUALS.   ♠ || (*￣3￣)╭ well, hello, there. aware of dog? yes. this is he: dolcetto mcgrouchyboots, and he is not happy to be here at all. he is traumatized, sassy, wants to throw hands with teenagers, has no sense of self worth, and will absolutely use himself as a meat shield in order to protect any and everyone he cares about. he is spliced with: dog. his favorite weapon: sword. if you listen carefully, you might hear dog-song rising on the east wind as he approaches (don’t tell him axel taped a cassette player to his back). he comes from a found family of complete and utter morons with a lot of damage, they live in a partially underground bar, work as information brokers, and are all DEFINITELY fully functioning adult people. they say gay and trans rights. if you like angry boys with a sense of humor semi-on-par with griffin mcelroy, this is the boy for YOU!!! 

NOW THE OPPOSITE, LIST EVERYTHING WHY YOUR MUSE COULD NOT BE SO INTERESTING (EVEN IF YOU MAY NOT AGREE, WHAT DOES THE FANDOM PERHAPS THINK?).   ♠ ||  he’s only featured in a handful of episodes/chapters across all media, doesn’t have a significant amount of dialogue, and we only ever see him lose to the protagonist(s) despite that he seems more than capable of fighting anyone else. easy to brush off as a “aw he died and that’s sad but we didn’t really know him, moving on”. from what i’ve seen in my years, people are more interested in him being a cog in the machine of “greed is sad” and less interested in... HIM. which is fair, i guess, but hhhhhh

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO RP YOUR MUSE?   ♠ || i don’t know if i can pin-point any ONE thing, but i’ve always been drawn to characters with some sort of connection or bond with animals (example, once again, being beast boy from teen titans). i also have an IMMENSE weakness for the found-family dynamic. so when the devil’s nest appeared during my first watch through of brotherhood, i was pretty much... hooked. immediately. and devastated. immediately. as for what drew me to writing dol, specifically... probably his loyalty, his drive, the fact that he WOULDN’T FUCKING STAY DOWN no matter how many times someone knocked him flat on his face. i vibe with that. grew up very much in the mentality of “fall down 7 times, get up 8″. also, he had a sword... which always beats guns on coolness factor. and i loved his fire. ...and that he was a complete fucking idiot who’s really bad at kidnapping i mean HOLY SHIT THAT’S HOW YOU TRIED TO GET HIM TO COME WITH YOU, DOLCETTO, ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING--

WHAT KEEPS YOUR INSPIRATION GOING? ♠ ||  dol has always been a great source of ...venting for me? <xD ever since i started writing him, i’ve always found his muse--specifically--to be extremely cathartic and comforting. i dunno if it’s because he lets the more... jaded side of me come out, even when we’re both trying to be optimistic? 

because i’ve been in 2 emotionally abusive friendships. i definitely have some left over hurt, pent up anger that hasn’t been given closure, a hell of a lot of underlying bitterness that i never got the opportunity to confront those people, BUT i still try to be. y’know. welcoming, friendly, supportive, despite a voice in the back of my head being paranoid?? i think dol continues to give me outlets to expressing that. somehow. not that i use him as an excuse to do it, more so i have more opportunities to do it when i’m writing him as opposed to writing someone like beast boy, who’s usually more on board with keeping the peace than picking a fight. i’ve also invested SO MUCH TIME and ENERGY into his background and headcanons and things that i kind of can’t quit him now, nor do i want to.

... and aside from that i just want him to have a happy ending god, fucking damnit. 

SOME MORE PERSONAL QUESTIONS FOR THE MUN.

give your mutuals some insight about the way you are in some matters, which could lead them to get more comfortable with you or perhaps not.

Do you think you give your character justice?  YES / NO ( or i certainly hope so )

Do you frequently write headcanons? YES / NO

Do you sometimes write drabbles?  YES  / NO

Do you think a lot about your Muse during the day?  YES / NO

Are you confident in your portrayal?   YES / NO

Are you confident in your writing?  YES / NO ( definitely have moments but eh! ) 

Are you a sensitive person?  YES  / NO ( kind of... varies. i’d say i’m more hyper aware)

DO YOU ACCEPT CRITICISM WELL ABOUT YOUR PORTRAYAL?   ♠ || i definitely like to think i do when it comes to pre-established things in canon. but when it comes to what i’ve built on my own over my years of writing for dol (and the nest members as a whole), it’s kind of my sandbox and i’d appreciate you not stomp around in it. 

unless i need to be learned a thing, like... one of the nest members, vi, is a trans-woman. i’m a cis-woman and i try to do as much research as i can and educate myself, but if i ever fuck something up please tell me, i’m doing my best but i’m more than willing to listen. i want to grow.

DO YOU LIKE QUESTIONS, WHICH HELP YOU EXPLORE YOUR CHARACTER?   ♠ || pretty sure everyone does! >xD but yeah! i FUCKING love it. especially since i’m writing for a minor character. =//o//= it shows people are interested in him despite his overall lack of content.

IF SOMEONE DISAGREES TO A HEADCANON OF YOURS, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY?   ♠ || i’d definitely be curious as to why but i doubt i’d be offended or take ... any personal harm from it--y’know? it’d be more of a “let me hear your perspective and maybe it’ll expand my own understanding, or i might not agree after the explanation and that’s cool”! 

an exception would be for an obviously shitty one that’s shitty for no reason, like... acTUALlY, he’s TOtaLLY hom///o///pho//bic, to which i’d be like “bitch, no, get away from me; no one in this bar is straight, die mad”.

IF SOMEONE DISAGREES WITH YOUR PORTRAYAL, HOW WOULD YOU TAKE IT?   ♠ || again, it’s cool! there’s not a lot of canon material so you can take his portrayal a variety of places. if we don’t jive, it’s pretty whatever. 

my one exception to this is probably people who, in the past, have told me i write him being “too mean”. which will never cease to confuse me. because even after al straight told dolcetto he was 14, dol was still like “I REALLY WANNA SMACK HIM but i’d just hurt my hand so you’re off the hook”, he’s angry like 85% of his dialogue in the manga... i’m just confused. where are you seeing the “uwu pupper~” persona. you can write it, that’s fine, i don’t care, just don’t get irritable when i don’t write him like a cute puppy. because here he is. suggesting we just kill izumi because she’s being troublesome. yeet. ...he’s an asshole.

IF SOMEONE REALLY HATES YOUR CHARACTER, HOW DO YOU TAKE IT?   ♠ || whatever, just don’t be a dick or speak badly about me or him in my presence because, flawed as he is and while i won’t make excuses for him, i’ll stand up for him. go somewhere else, my dude. i, personally, don’t have the energy for your negativity. nor do i have the patience.

ARE YOU OKAY WITH PEOPLE POINTING OUT YOUR GRAMMATICAL ERRORS?   ♠ ||  i’m more okay with people correcting my spelling (gently). because of the way i taught myself to read, i’d be FUCKED if auto-correct or spell-check didn’t exist. i also google correct spellings constantly. so spelling, yeah, i already know that i’m terrible at it so feel free to correct type-os or spelling mishaps, it ain’t no thang. 

grammar i’m a bit... pickier about. because sometimes i’ll purposely do a “grammatical error” because the punctuation or otherwise further drives the pacing or mood i’m trying to give my writing. i may not know ALL the rules but i break them from time to time... FOR THE ART.

DO YOU THINK YOU ARE EASY GOING AS A MUN?   ♠ || i wanna say i am?? while i definitely do want to seriously explore and flesh out and grow dol as a muse and character, i’m “not above” goofing around, poking fun at him, or just being plain silly on the dash. RPing is escapism for me and i strive to keep my blog a peaceful safe haven on the dashboard, both for myself and my followers. 

i try to communicate to the best of my ability and despite my anxieties, and while i may not be able to follow or RP with EVERYONE (for obvious reasons) i’m open to interacting with ... pretty much anyone who throws me a bone. i’ll speak up if i’m not down for a plot or interested in a certain relationship or interaction, but i’m certainly not going to be rude or dismissive about it. i know what that feels like. i’d say yeah, though! i think i’m pretty chill. e-e you tell me.

[lockawayknight]

Navlaan, for the 'send a character' meme

ahh ty ty tav!!💕

send me a character! [ accepting ]

1. favorite thing about them

hhh man i’m just a sucker for stories with narratives that involve a sort of disconnect between two sides of oneself, and the fact that the evil thing within him was something of his own creation resonates a hell of a lot and is def one of the main reasons i love him so much. puts a lot more weight into everything he’s doing to try to stop this stuff

2. least favorite thing about them

wish we had more dialogue from sweet vessel :c

3. favorite line

(after declining a murder) “Yes, yes, of course. Forget that I asked. That's what "good people" do, am I right?”

4. brOTP

probably entirely unsurprising but i like to imagine him and creighton being rlly good friends... during his shittier bouts of hollowness creighton would do murders for the master, but ofc every now and then he would end up speaking to sweet vessel instead. vessel was not happy abt all the murder stuff (naturally) but eventually they got to talking honestly and since creighton is such a stupidly social creature he started to resent the master a lot and care for sweet vessel. he really wants to help him out one day but hh murderdemon scary

5. OTP

none!! although i have def seen some cute art of him w/straid lol

6. nOTP

also none :,D!!

7. random headcanon

don’t ask where this comes from i couldn’t give u a reason except “uhhh pose & hat funny” but, the master tends to punish its vessel by its control over his body. as punishment for the whole sealing-away thing it took out poor vessel’s eyes, rendering him even more powerless to stop marks from being hunted and taken :( hh poor dude’s been through a lot

8. unpopular opinion

i really don’t see a lot of art or discussion of him smh so i’m not. sure. hm. BUT, the closest i can think of is, i’ve noticed lots of people tend to default place him in the Big Bad Evil Murder Scary Man category and completely ignore the vessel’s struggles, which i Disagree With hh. i read a comic once (1x) that showed the vessel’s misery really well but that was kinda it :c so i guess the opinion then is uhh pls he is a nice boy treat him nicely hghghhh

9. song i associate with them

“Wolf and Raven” by Sonata Arctica

song is literally the only reason i call the thing controlling him his master pfft. literally every line applies to his story and hhh

"Now I am like Judas, done Ashamed of what I’ve become Fear for life I wear as a ring To bask in your favour, I will kill the king”

10. favorite picture of them

aaa this one by @/omnia-volo!!

ty again tav~💕

[girlintogaming1]

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice - a casual scrubs hot take on difficulty

Until Sekiro I had never played a From Software game for predominantly two different reasons. Firstly knowing that these games were designed to be hard put me off as I am the type of person who defaults to playing a game on the normal difficulty setting, as I want a game to challenge me enough that I don’t feel dropping £40 to £50 on it was a waste but at the same time I don’t want something so ballbustingly difficult that it gets added to that pile of games I’ve never finished because I got stuck. But also the settings of both Dark Souls and Bloodborne weren’t really my cup of tea and so they passed me by and that was fine. Then enters Sekiro.

The first time I heard of Sekiro was E3 last year and I went from this looks cool to, oh it’s made by those Dark Souls guys so it’s probably not for me nevermind. But over the past year I’d seen more of the game and I’m not going to lie the weeb in me really wanted this game. With that and with watching and enjoying Dororo and wanting just more of that I’d convinced myself to buy Sekiro.

So on March 22nd I arrived home from work to find my copy of Sekiro had arrived, I popped it in my PlayStation 4 waited for it to install then jumped straight into the game. Got to the part of the training area where you learn combat and died, tried it again and died. This went on for quite an embarrassing length of time as despite the game telling me otherwise and despite of what I knew about the games From Software make, I insisted on using my all guns ablazing button mashing assault that had worked for me fine in Devil May Cry 5 which I’d been playing the week prior. I did eventually adjust my play style and then breezed through the training section and felt a sense of satisfaction from doing so and this is how I’ve continued on with the game.

Every single boss and mini boss I’ve encountered so far has killed me multiple times to the point of absolute frustration, well except for Juzou the Drunkard, I beat him on the second go, but I’ve slowly learned as I’ve gone along and when I’ve finally taken them down the elation I’ve felt is amazing. I’m still not good at the game and have a couple of times sought help on the internet but it’s a slow and gradual process with one hell of a payoff. This is a payoff I would have lost had the game included an easy mode.

I have seen and read many of the arguments both for and against Sekiro and other From Software games not having an easy mode and for me personally I’m really glad Sekiro doesn’t. Had From Software put in an easy mode that’s what I’d have chosen to play it on and would have robbed myself of that sense of satisfaction every time I chip a little bit further into the game. There is nothing wrong with having one difficulty setting on a game if that’s what the creators intend. There’s a quote from Hidetaka Miyazaki saying “I’ve really been pursuing making games that give players a sense of accomplishment by overcoming tremendous odds” and that’s what he’s created with Dark Souls, Bloodborne and now Sekiro and who the fuck is anyone to tell him that ok that vision is cool and all but can you put an easy mode in there now.

There is so much criticism of the AAA gaming industry that developers are manufacturing games to appeal to the broadest of audiences possible and are out only to make lots of money for their publishers, yet From Software are very much making the games they want to make even if that gives them a smaller audience and that should be applauded not criticised. Not every game will be for you and that’s absolutely fine. I’m personally not really a fan of first person shooters and very much prefer a 3rd person perspective but I don’t expect the Call of Duty developers to put that in to suit my particular wants. It all boils down to entitlement and people believing they are owed something just because they ask for it. If a developer chooses in a game they’ve designed and crafted to put in one difficulty level then that’s their decision alone to make. The only things you as a gamer deserve to have in a full price £40 to £50 game is, a complete narrative whether that be stand alone or part of an overarching series, a game you can fully experience without relying on micro transactions to complete and the game to be playable and not riddled with bugs. If we as consumers start making demands on how a developer makes their games where do we draw the line.

I’m probably never going to git gud enough to where I can speed run through Sekiro or play it through with a DJ Hero turn table but I will finish Sekiro and maybe even prove to myself I can play games on harder than normal difficulty.